


Revelations

by honestgrins



Series: Challenge Accepted [6]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-10 06:57:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5575689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Day 6 - TO/TVD: Stefan had to call Klaus if he wanted to save Damon, but that doesn't mean Caroline is happy to see any of them in the home she shares with Ric and the girls.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Revelations

Klaus was uncomfortable. He didn't do discomfort, he's the Original Hybrid. There wasn't a situation he couldn't control to his advantage eventually.

But he'd never been in a house Caroline Forbes shared with her fiancé. Her children.

A bit hypocritical, he supposed. Hope was safe with her mother, neither of whom Caroline knew about either. But he had been honest about his intentions with her, promises of being her last love pounding in his ears as he stared at the happy family pictures hanging on the walls.

This wasn't how he expected to come back into her life.

Stefan had called, begging him to save Damon. New Orleans wasn't facing a major threat, and he did miss the rag tag bunch from Mystic Falls, though he'd never admit it. With the promise of a to-be-claimed favor, Klaus raced to the Dallas suburban address Stefan sent. He found the teacher sitting with a prostrate Damon on the couch, the human surprising him considering that Klaus knew Alaric to have died as an Original vampire. Pushing aside his curiosity, though, Klaus just bit into his wrist and shoved the bloody gash to Damon's mouth.

It wasn't until the annoying vampire started to breathe easier and passed out that Klaus took in his surroundings. He saw a picture with two little girls, noting the toys scattered around the TV room they were in. "Human again and a father to boot," he teased, addressing Alaric. The tension in the man's body did not go unnoticed. "Come on, mate. I think we're above petty fear for family, aren't we?"

Then, he saw a smiling blonde with the same girls in the next picture. Swallowing down his confusion and distaste for the idea that Caroline's happily ever after was in this house, Klaus just nodded. "Congratulations to the happy couple," he said, spine freezing in awareness of the diamond ring sitting on the blonde's finger. Human triviality or not, Caroline getting married rubbed his possessiveness the wrong way.

"It's not what you think" Alaric sighed, feeling strangely confident that Klaus wouldn't hurt him. He was right, of course, his own foray into fatherhood giving a unique empathy that he hated with a passion. Klaus would never again kill freely without cause; unfortunate to his habits built over a millennium, children changed the game in a victim. Add the connection to Caroline, and Alaric was untouchable. "This is Texas. If you're living together with kids, there better be a diamond ring."

Klaus arched a brow at the explanation. "You believe that Caroline deserves such a farcical relationship?"

Alaric couldn't stifle a laugh. "If she wanted a real one, I'm not the guy she would turn to," he chuckled. As if to emphasize the point, the front door burst open. Stefan was carrying an unconscious Caroline, looking both terrified and relieved.

Ignoring the other men, Stefan quickly laid Caroline on the other couch. He carefully stroked the hair from her face, an action that had Klaus narrowing his eyes in suspicion. That suspicion was confirmed when Stefan stood up, placing himself firmly between Klaus and Caroline. He glanced over to Damon, though, and sighed in relief and resignation. "Thanks for saving him," Stefan said. "It gave me time to get her out of the storage locker the huntress stuck her in."

Klaus opened his mouth to ask just what the hell had happened since he left Mystic Falls, but Caroline gasping to life thoroughly distracted him.

All three men crowded around her, something the blonde did not appreciate. Scoffing, Caroline sat up and motioned for them to give her space. She clearly felt comfortable in her surroundings, but the sight of both Klaus and Stefan had her on edge. Instead, she looked to Alaric. "Are the girls okay?"

"They're fine, I left them with Penny," he answered. Caroline relaxed at the name of their neighbor, who often watched the girls for them. "She promised them chocolate chip pancakes, and I didn't want them in the house with Damon on werewolf venom."

"Good call," Caroline sighed. Glancing up at Klaus, her grimace softened a bit. "I guess that's why you're here. You healed him?"

Klaus smirked, though his heart wasn't in it. He was too glad to see she was okay. "Of course, love," he said. "Favors from Stefan Salvatore aren't easy to come by, but saving Damon earns me at least one."

Sparing a glare for the younger Salvatore, Caroline just shook her head. "Okay, this has been fun, but it's time to call it a night," she said, standing up. "It looks like Ric and I will be spending tomorrow packing up to move the girls somewhere safer, and I'd appreciate getting some sleep."

She moved to leave, but Stefan blocked her path. "Caroli-"

"No," she interrupted. "You made it abundantly clear that you're happier when I'm away from you. If you and Damon need a place to stay, fine, but don't think that I'll be playing hostess. Ask Ric if you run into questions."

Chastened, Stefan moved out of her way to check on Damon. Ric turned away, too, leaving Klaus to follow after Caroline.

"Sweetheart," he said as she made it to the stairs.

"Thank you for coming," she said before he could continue. "Stefan is always better with Damon in the world. They're both on my shit list," she pointed out, "but thanks."

"I'll always come to help, love," he replied, the promise thick in his tone. "The girls look happy in the photos."

Caroline's expression hardened, despite the kind words. "They'll never know that pain we have," she declared, implication clear. "I won't let anyone hurt them."

"I have a daughter, too," he admitted, not as sheepish as he had expected when he imagined a similar moment over the years. "I agree wholeheartedly."

Caroline stared for a moment, wide-eyed. She appeared to set aside her obvious curiosity in favor of handling her current situation. "I wasn't kidding about getting some sleep," she said honestly. "But if you hear anything about this huntress, don't be afraid to call. We could always use the help, and I might-"

She had cut herself off, but Klaus finally felt warmth surging through him at her apparent embarrassment. "You might," he teasingly asked.

Sighing, she decided to bite the bullet. "I might miss you every once in a while," Caroline answered. "You're not the worst friend in the world."

"High praise," he crowed, never expecting to bring such a bright smile out of Caroline with his statement. He felt breathless at the sight, until he realized she was still kicking him out of Dallas. "New Orleans will always be there if you need a safe zone," he offered, for the first time feeling hope she might accept one day.

"Thank you," she said, grin still playing on her lips. "Good night, Klaus."

"Good night, Caroline."


End file.
